The Ultimate Foodie Guide: 50 best spots to eat in Lisbon
I've lived in Lisbon for 8 years and tried over 1000 restaurants — This is the most comprehensive guide of Lisbon's best restaurants & bars, must-try dishes, and local gems that you ever hope to come across!
Whether it’s the most impossible reservation to book in the hottest restaurant in Principe Real, or the illegal Chinese diner hidden in a residential building in Chinatown, there are endless options for dining in Lisbon's lively food-and-drink scene.
Here is the most comprehensive list of the best restaurants and bars in Lisbon that you ever hope to come across, quite frankly. One thing you can always rely on is the foodie behind this guide is quite a picky eater and only includes places that she genuinely ate at and liked.
Most Popular Categories for All Foodies
Rooftop🍹
Lisbon never lacks options of rooftops with a great stunning view. My all-time-favorites are Topo Martin Moniz and Park Rooftop - both are casual and lively, centrally located and have interesting entrances (one is on top of a commercial building in Chinatown; one is on top of an actual parking lot). The Java Rooftop is new and trendy among the expats. There are a handful of hotel rooftops you should not miss which have the best panoramic view of Lisbon: Sky Bar in Tivoli Hotel, and Rossio Gastropub in Altis Avenida Hotel.
Hottest restaurants 🔥
Keeping up with the trendiest restaurants is exciting! There are no shortages of openings in Lisbon from fancy eateries, brunches, cocktails bars, cafes, and anything in between. The hottest places to check out right now: Da Noi (casual chic creative eatery in Santos), Eneko Lisboa (a Michelin-start restaurant with Basque flavors), Mama Restaurante (hotel restaurant with beautiful interior dinner lounge), AnNam (an authentic Vietnamese cozy restaurant).
Classic restaurants 👍
For diners more interested in crossing a timeless hit off the bucket list, this is the go-to guide to bookmark. Dining at one of Lisbon's top classic restaurants is like stepping back in time, I recommend legendary steakhouses such as Cafe de Sao Bento and old-school bars like Pavilhao Chines.
If there’s a meal during the week that feels like an event, it’s brunch. There’s a place for the all-you-can-drink-mimosas crowd or someone looking for a humble plate of runny eggs with bacon and toast. This brunch guide offers ritzy or affordable options for every type of brunchgoer.
Iconic dishes 🇵🇹
Portugal's most well-known dishes go far beyond the egg tarts at Pasteis de Belem and just 1001 ways of making codfish — though you don’t want to pass those up either. This best Portuguese restaurants directory will take you to the city's diverse culinary scene, from traditional dishes with a innovative twist, to a humble "prego" (steak sandwich). To impressive friends who come to visit, my go-to Portuguese places in Lisbon are Ramiro - authentic seafood, Palacio Chiado - restaurant in a beautiful palace in the city center, and Taberna da Rua das Flores - a cozy and casual Portuguese tapas place.
Pizza 🍕
Whether it’s pies thrown in charcoal ovens or ones made with fancy sourdough crusts, there’s a pizza for any occasion. Before folding up a slice, here are some of the city’s most loved pizzerias: Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria, Mano a Mano, ZeroZero, Casanova and Forno d'Oro.
Egg tart 🍮
Opinions vary on the city’s best egg tarts (pastel de nata), but one thing is clear: It’s unofficially Lisbon's most iconic food item. The most classic version at Pasteis de Belem, the eggier ones from Mantegaria, the crunchy shell ones from Fabrica de Nata, or the newest vegan version at A Carioca are just a few favorites.
Sushi 🍣
There are countless of Japanese restaurants in Lisbon. Diners can max out their credit cards with luxe omakases at Kanasawa (an above €100-per-person sushi counter), or find quality and umami-rich fish at more affordable prices (a $29 lunch set at Lisbon Sushi Club is among the best). Vegans need to try Legumi Sushi. Some of my favorites include SushiCafe Avenida, Go Juu, Yakuza by Oliver, Nomada, Aron Sushi, and Tasca Kome.
Authentic Chinese 🥢
From delicate dim sums at Macau Dim Sum, to the very spicy Sichuan style cuisines, there are numerous authentic Chinese restaurants in Lisbon. For the mid price range, my go-to places are Chuanyue and Nova Paris. If you crave hot pot, Sweet Olive is the right choice. If you are looking for something fancier, try the Old House. As for the affordable and authentic options, Kuwazi, Dawanmian, and Sabor Oriente are among the best.
Steakhouses 🥩
This best meat guide is for all the steak lovers in Lisbon. When it comes to fine premium aged cuts, I will head to Sala de Corte or KOB. The winner in the more casual and affordable category is hands down Atalho Real - a meat restaurant with a garden in Principe Real. La Paparrucha is an Argentinan steakhouse with outdoor seats and a gorgeous view of the city.
Desserts 🍮
The desserts scene in Lisbon still has room for improvement. The most popular option is the Crush Doughnuts where you find beautifully made fried doughs decorated in all colors and themes. Mommy Cake in Chiado offers bubble teas and some Asian sweet treats.
Ice cream🍧
Nobody can resist a scoop of something cold and delightful. Here are Lisbon's essential ice cream shops, including old-school parlor Santini, innovative gelato lab with wasabi flavor at Gelato Davvero, the best pistachio ice cream at Niva, or the most popular one the tourists are after, Nannarella. My favorite spot in Principe Real is Mu, and in Chiado is Groom.
Coffee ☕️
Of course the coffee culture in Lisbon is getting stronger with more and more foreigners from all over the world moving to town. There are cozy neighborhood shops like Curve and Simpli, specialty coffee shops catering to coffee connoisseurs such as Buna Specialty Coffee Shop, and those ones that are perfect for digital nomads to hang out and work - just to name a few: Fabrica Coffee Shop, and Copenhagnen Coffee Lab,
Special occasions 🥂
A new job. An anniversary. Another birthday. Here is the list of restaurants for a blowout meal on a special occasion, ranting from the elegant Portuguese seafood dining at Cervejaria Liberdade to Eneko Lisboa, a Basque tasting menu deep in Alcantara.
Outdoor dining ☀️
There’s never been a better city to dine outdoors than Lisbon, given its fantastic sunny weather all year round. To dine near the river, Vela offers down-to-earth traditional Portuguese seafood. If you are not afraid of the height, rooftop restaurants such as Madame Petisca and Rossio Gastropub are great options. For a lovely garden tranquil environment, JncQUOI Asian is among the best.
Rossio Gastrobar, a rooftop restaurant with a stunning view
A Guide to Some of Lisbon's Best Dining Neighborhoods
Lisbon is not big compared to some mega metropolitans, but the food culture here is rather rich and dynamic. The rent may be too damn high in the city, but a short walk or a Uber ride introduces you to a different food scene in every neighborhood.
Principe Real
Principe Real gets a lot of attention as some of the hottest spots for dining are concentrated in this neighborhood. Chef Kiko's famous casual Peruvian spot, A Cevicheria serves ceviche and seafood dishes with an Asian twist plus pisco sours and wine. My personal favorites include BouBou's which has a lovely garden, Lebanese food at Sumaya, Atalho Real for good quality meat with friends, Gin Lovers in a beautiful palace, and Cafe Principe Real a hotel restaurant in Memmo hotel with a gorgeous tranquil view.
Mouraria / Martin Moniz / Intendente
This area starting from Chinatown to the surrounding of Avenida Almirante Reis is home to one of the city’s most affordable and diverse array of cuisines. You will find some affordable Asian eateries for fresh hand-pull noodles, dim sum, Peking duck, Vietnamese pho and so much more. The Portuguese seafood place Ramiro, and popular meat place Carvoaria Jacto are also here.
Chiado
Downtown Lisbon's most central neighborhood is often thought of as a destination for some of the most compelling spots in the city. Pan Asian restaurant (Boa Bao), Chef Avillez's creation (Bairro do Avillez), Portuguese in a palace (Palacio Chiado), Seafood (Sea Me), Japanese (Nomada Chiado) are among the latest group of restaurants that have become destinations for diners all over Lisbon and internationally. Many of the longtime favorites are still going strong: Cafe No Chiado has one of the best ribs, the two Michelin restaurants, Alma and Belcanto, are always fully booked. Newcomers like Ao 26, a vegan spot inspired by Portuguese cuisines, and O Boteco, modern takes on Brazilian food are cementing the area’s reputation as one of the best dining destinations in the city.
La Paparrucha, a steakhouse in Principe Real with a view
Follow the (Michelin) Stars
Lisbon is home to 10 Michelin-starred restaurants, as of the latest awards given out in 2022. Belcanto and Alma are the only two 2-star restaurants, both are creative Portuguese menus. The list also include 100 Maneiras - Bosnian cuisine inspired menu, and Eneko - Basque flavor inspired menu. For the more affordable options, there’s also the Michelin Bib Gourmand list, among the 4 recommendations there is a vegan restaurant called Arkhe, and two Portuguese restaurant O Frade, and Solar dos Nunes.
Feitoria, 1-star Michelin restaurant
Head Out of Town (but within 30-min drive)
There are a few must-try restaurants located outside of the Lisbon city center but totally worth trying.
Cozinha Velha is next to the Queluz National Palace, and serves traditional Portuguese dishes, their specialty is the Sunday "Cozido" lunch where you experience the most traditional Sunday feast.
Taking a boat ride to cross the Tejo river, you will find Ponto Final, a lovely rustic restaurant sitting at the waterfront patio offering classic Portuguese plates and an uninterrupted view of the river and Lisbon city.
Staying on the Caparica side, one of my favorite beach restaurant is Irmao, it has a chilling free vibe and sometimes has DJ and live music.
Driving west towards Cascais direction, you must make a stop at Furnas do Guincho, where you can enjoy the fine seafood and just simply the wavs and the sea from this elegant restaurant on the cliff and rocks.
Keep driving north on the way to Sintra, make sure to check out Moinho Dom Quixote. It is a windmill turned restaurant now has lovely garden, an out-of-this-world view of the ocean and villages, truly a work of art.
